Mitzvah miracle as 50,000 blue candles are lit for Israel

Almost 50,000 blue Shabbat candles were handed out to schools, synagogues and households across the UK last Friday, as part of an “incredibly unifying” initiative to show solidarity with Israel in the wake of the Hamas terrorist attacks that devastated the country on 7 October.

Social media was awash with images of the blue candles on Friday afternoon, accompanied with the hashtag #lightforisrael and a call for people to “do a mitzvah for Israel and bring light into the world”.

Family education charity Seed, which came up with the idea, said that many who collected candles revealed they had either never lit Shabbat candles before, had not lit them in a long time, or were not usually careful to light at the designated time, but had a desire to do so thanks to this initiative.

More than 150 volunteers helped collect the candles from suppliers, pack them with prayer cards and deliver them to stockists across London and Manchester.

Seed’s Jessica Boxer, head of fundraising and communications, who co-organised the effort with Rabbi Peretz Goldstein of Seed Borehamwood, said: “We have been overwhelmed and humbled by the response and by the display of unity and love.”

One of the many thousands who participated described it as “a simple idea, but thought-provoking and meaningful”, adding: “I lit mine with great pride and deep sadness at the reason for them.”

Rebbetzen Shoshana Landau of Barnet synagogue said: “Many people from the Barnet community who don’t normally come to shul – some of whom I had never even met before – came to my door to pick up the candles. It was an incredibly unifying and moving experience and a great avenue for connection.”